Chad Howland

Two Lights Along the Shore

We have always
been hesitant
to say “Thank you,”
eaten too much or
too little,
read people with our own
words written on their faces,
listened for the
first morning trumpets,
marveled at mountains and
the aurora borealis,
risen with the
resting bread,
held our babies as
they died,
and looked for
two lights along the shore.


Chad Howland (he/him) eats what he cooks, plays with kids on the floor, and makes inappropriate jokes at funerals.